Make an error

DD does not make mistakes, she is as solid of fielder as you would want.

She has an OK but not great range. She is a utility player.

I have been trying for 3 years to get her to extend herself and I amid defeat.

She seems to have her area and slows down if it is out of it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I think the answer is in the title of your thread...Get out there and make an error. One thing that I have noticed while coaching youth sports is that kids (especially girls) are afraid to make a mistake. They need permission from their parents, their coaches, and especially from THEMSELVES to screw up. Only then can they go as hard as they are capable. With the occasional error comes some spectacular plays... when she makes a couple of those, she'll forget why she was ever afraid in the first place.

These are some of my favorite quotes, hope they help:

quincy said:

DD does not make mistakes, she is as solid of fielder as you would want.

She has an OK but not great range. She is a utility player.

I have been trying for 3 years to get her to extend herself and I amid defeat.

She seems to have her area and slows down if it is out of it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

Do you all work on extension? Any diving or sliding drills? Starting off the knees then working toward a full dive. Maybe get her confidence up in making those type catches. Once you make one, it's on!

quincy said:

DD does not make mistakes, she is as solid of fielder as you would want.

She has an OK but not great range. She is a utility player.

I have been trying for 3 years to get her to extend herself and I amid defeat.

She seems to have her area and slows down if it is out of it.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

She is making a mistake......a big mistake! She is slowing down or stopping on a potential play on the ball. Bang that fact in her softball brain. Tell her that what she thinks is her area is much larger than she thinks it is.....at every position she plays.

shaker1 said:

Do you all work on extension? Any diving or sliding drills? Starting off the knees then working toward a full dive. Maybe get her confidence up in making those type catches. Once you make one, it's on!

Click to expand...

She is so conservative come game time, she takes 0 chances.

Does she take chances in practice? If not then start when you and her are practicing, complement her on good effort when she fails. Once she is comfortable then encourage the same in team practice. Then finally in games. I tell my DGD that "failure is a sign post on the road to sucess." Yeah it's cheese I know. But it sets the tone I want while we are practicing. Just a bucket dad's ok now granddad's opinion.

If we practice she does, Team practice she does not.

Niece is going to play D1, she is reaaly good.

They have practiced together a few times, laughing and everything looks easy.

I can not get a ball bye them.

quincy said:

If we practice she does, Team practice she does not.

Niece is going to play D1, she is reaaly good.

They have practiced together a few times, laughing and everything looks easy.

I can not get a ball bye them.

Click to expand...

Do you help with the team? Maybe talk to the coach, next time she doesn't go all out, let her set a few innings. Give her alittle time to think it over. Would definitely rather have one go all out and miss than watch it go by. My oldest plays 3rd, and it drives me nuts when she let's the slow roller go on to the SS when she could have made the play herself, in plenty of time.

So if she knows how to be aggressive in practice, why not in games? Is it the coach? IME, some coaches (like my DD's first HS coach) may promote passive play, whether they intend to or not, by being/being perceived as more critical of an occasional aggressive error than for playing too conservatively and not taking any chances. Relative to outfield play, I call it "hand grenade defense" i.e., wait until the ball stops rolling before picking it up to be sure you don't make an error.

shaker1 said:

Do you help with the team? Maybe talk to the coach, next time she doesn't go all out, let her set a few innings. Give her alittle time to think it over. Would definitely rather have one go all out and miss than watch it go by. My oldest plays 3rd, and it drives me nuts when she let's the slow roller go on to the SS when she could have made the play herself, in plenty of time.

Click to expand...

A couple years ago DD was playing 3rd and the coaches DD at SS and her could no coexist, they kept running into each other.